


Behind the Scenes

by nagi_schwarz



Category: Justice League (2017)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Office, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-10
Updated: 2018-01-10
Packaged: 2019-03-03 03:24:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,375
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13332453
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nagi_schwarz/pseuds/nagi_schwarz
Summary: Barry Allen, technical consultant for the TV show Dawn of Justice, has a crush on Arthur Curry, the stunt coordinator. His coworkers are both encouraging and meddlesome, but in the end, Barry has game.





	Behind the Scenes

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the What If AU Challenge #10: Workplace AU.

“Yes,” Barry was saying as he leaned down, feeling along the floor for his pack of paper. “He could make explosives out of potassium chlorate and gummy bears, but powdered sugar would be more efficient, has more surface area, is more reactive.”

On the other end of the line - Barry’s phone was on speaker - Lois said, “That’s true, but they don’t sell powdered sugar in vending machines.”

“They might in Japan,” Barry said without missing a beat. He dared to look away from the phone for a moment, peered under his desk.  The little pack of paper was nowhere to be seen. 

“Unfortunately for science,” Iris said, “this episode isn’t set in Japan. Gummy bears it is. Thanks, Barry.”

“You’re welcome,” he said. 

Finally, the phone call ended. Barry slid all the way out of his chair and crawled under his desk, squinting in the dimness. Where had that paper gone? He needed it to finish his modular origami lucky cat. It was the last packet of white. He needed to order some more. 

“Looking for this?”

Barry started violently, smacked his head against the underside of the desk, let loose a string of expletives in Korean.

Then he crawled back out from under his desk and stumbled to his feet. 

A veritable giant of a man stood in the doorway. He had bulging biceps, long dark hair, bright eyes, and lots of tattoos on his arms. He was holding the tiny packet of paper. 

“Yes,” Barry said. “I don’t how it got all the way over there.”

“It bounced across the carpet,” the man said. He held it out. 

Barry crossed his tiny office in a couple of steps, accepted it from him. “Thank you.” Then he frowned. “How long were you standing there?”

“Long enough to know my men and women are going to be running from a gummy bear bomb this week even though it should be a powdered sugar bomb.” 

The man was incredibly handsome. 

“Ah - who are you?”

“Arthur Curry. Stunt coordinator.”

“Oh. Hello. I’m Barry Allen, technical consultant.” He offered a small wave. No doubt Arthur would crush his hand in a handshake. 

“Nice to meet you, Barry.” Arthur turned and walked away. 

Barry watched him go. Damn, that man had a fine ass. Then Barry shook himself out. He still had episode three’s super science save of the day to finish engineering. 

*

Barry’s best friend at the studio was Victor, who looked like he could be a stunt coordinator or star stuntman, as big and buff as he was, but Victor’s passion was computers, and he was the king of the CGI, responsible for any special effects Barry couldn’t pull off with his physics and chemistry.

Their offices were at opposite ends of the Nerd Block (which comprised of CGI, costume design, art direction and various consulting offices), so they always met in the break room in the middle to get their caffeine fix and catch up on studio gossip. Somehow Victor knew everything, like which guest star of the week was attempting to woo Diana and failing (Diana’s heart belonged to some ex named Trevor, though Barry deeply suspected the guy was just a convenient fiction because Diana was too nice to tell potential suitors to go to hell).

So while they were leaning against the counter, waiting for the microwaves to heat their lunches - cupbop for Barry, leftover lasagne for Victor - Barry had to ask.

“The stunt coordinator, Arthur Curry. What’s his deal?”

Victor raised his eyebrows over the rim of his coffee mug. “You mean Arthur who’s built like he stepped off the cover of Men’s Health and has enough ink to fill a fistful of pens?”

Barry bit back a groan. Victor knew he had a thing for tattoos. “How do you know that?”

“Seen him take off his shirt when he throws down with the stunt crew.” 

“Really? Is there some kind of - of schedule for that thing?” 

Victor smirked, and Barry realized how pathetically eager he sounded. 

“Give me a break. The guy’s super fine. If you weren’t such a zero on the Kinsey scale you know you’d totally try to hit that - and beat me to it, because he’s  _ waaaaay _ out of my league. Obviously I need to go to the gym more.” Barry tugged up his t-shirt and stared down at his too-thin belly.

“There’s navel-gazing and then there’s you,” Alfred said. He made a beeline for the coffee machine.

Barry let his shirt drop, embarrassed.

Victor rolled his eyes. “Alfred, craft services for the actors has perfectly fine coffee.”

Alfred was Bruce Wayne’s PA, had been the guy’s butler or something when he was a kid. As far as Barry was concerned, the man was a helicopter parent for the richest, most popular actor on the planet who had, for no reason Barry could discern, decided to grace the TV show Dawn of Justice with his presence. As the co-star alongside Diana, who played Dawn.

“Master Bruce likes your coffee, and I like when Master Bruce is happy.” Alfred at least used one of his own travel mugs instead of filching something from Barry’s collection of chipped and stained novelty mugs.

Victor and Barry put up with Diana taking their coffee because she at least came to get it herself.

“If you want a six-pack, you’ll need to invest in some testosterone supplements and several hours a day at the gym,” Alfred added and sailed out of the break room with the rest of the coffee in his scheming British clutches.

“You don’t need a six-pack to talk to Arthur,” Victor said once they were sure Alfred was out of earshot.

“I’ve already talked to him,” Barry protested.

Victor raised his eyebrows.

“I have! We introduced ourselves. It was very polite.”

“And you want to jump his bones,” Victor said.

“He’s very attractive -”

“And you haven’t had any since Iris dumped your sorry ass.”

“ - And I want to get to know him better,” Barry said firmly. “Statistics show that men in committed relationships - specifically married men - have better sex lives than single men.”

“So you want me to pass him a note that says  _ Will you marry me check yes or no?” _

Barry turned bright red. “Who said anything about marriage?”

“You did.”

“I just want what every non-ace non-demi red-blooded human with a sex drive wants, which is to get laid regularly and often,” Barry said. “Preferably with someone I can stand.”

“You wouldn’t be able to stand after Arthur got done with you.” Victor was positively radiating smugness. Any more radiation and Barry would be at risk for cancer.

“I don’t know why we’re friends.” Barry grabbed his cupbop out of the microwave and retreated to his office.

Victor’s laughter followed him all the way down the hall.

Barry ate in silence, nearly jabbed himself with his own chopsticks. There had to be a way to get to know Arthur that didn’t involve his coworkers being meddlers. Barry had game. He’d managed to date Iris for a whole six months. He could do this.

Victor emailed him a copy of the stunt team’s training schedule. With handwritten notes about the likelihood of Arthur taking off his shirt in each exercise.

Barry face-palmed. “I hate my life. And my job.”

(That was a lie. His life was pretty good, mostly because his job was awesome - fun and good pay.)

The email from the writers that they would be using powdered sugar for the improvised explosives in scene three of episode four was good news, at least.

*

The best thing about Barry’s job was that he was basically paid to do all the dangerous scientific things that had gotten him yelled at when he was a child. Granted, now he was an adult, and an educated scientist, so instead of raiding the kitchen for cleaning supplies and random foodstuffs to throw together, Barry wore a lab coat, safety goggles, and gloves.

In episode five Diana’s character had to stop a sulfuric acid leak with, again, something she got out of a vending machine (Barry was pretty sure Iris and Lois were writing most of the episodes in the middle of the night while they had the munchies), and Barry was experimenting with candidates. He was pretty sure chocolate would be the best, but he was trying other carbon-rich substances just in case. 

And then a deep voice said, right in his ear, “Hey.”

Barry jerked upright, dropping the half-unwrapped chocolate bar into the beaker of sulfuric acid. He spun around, eyes wide.

Arthur was standing right behind him, one had in his pocket, looking unfairly gorgeous. 

“Hey!” Barry said.

Arthur raised his eyebrows at Barry’s beaker. “Should it be doing that?”

Barry turned back to his experiment, and indeed, a sticky residue was forming where the acid and chocolate mixed. How much of that was the chocolate and the wrapper Barry didn’t rightly now.

“Yes. Yes, that’s exactly how that’s supposed to go.”

Arthur looked skeptical.

Barry used his tongs to fish what was left of the chocolate out of the beaker to halt the reaction, then pushed his goggles up his head, undoubtedly messing up his hair, but he didn’t have a chance in hell of being attractive and composed in Arthur’s presence, so why try?

“Really. The carbons in the chocolate react with the sulfuric acid to form a gummy substance that, in a pinch, could be used to seal a leak. It’s for episode five. I’m pretty sure chocolate is the right substance. I just need to determine which chocolate bar is best. Once I consult marketing about which of our sponsors manufactures chocolate bars.”

“So do you just stick random stuff in the acid and hope it works? Because that seems dangerous.”

“No, I wouldn’t do that. That would be foolhardy indeed. I was given parameters - sulfuric acid, contents of a vending machine - and I eliminated anything that would be dangerous or inert, and then I experimented from there.” Then Barry frowned. “What are you doing here? Shouldn’t you be punching stunt guys or something? I could’ve sworn I put a sign on the door that I was working with acids.”

“I’m taking a break from punching stunt guys,” Arthur said.

Barry winced. “Sorry. Didn’t mean to stereotype. Just -”

Arthur held out the cup of coffee he was holding. “I brought this for you.”

“Oh.” Barry stared at it for a moment to long, then accepted it. “Thank you.”

“Victor said you hadn’t had your caffeine fix today.”

Barry shoved the sleeve of his lab coat back and stared at his watch. He’d had a cereal bar that morning as he’d dashed down the street to the metro station to catch the train to work.

But apparently in his pursuit of scientific tomfoolery he’d missed his morning coffee break, lunch, and afternoon coffee break. Where even was his lunch? Had he packed one?

“Victor was right.” Barry took a sip of the coffee and felt warmth spread through him immediately, though that was probably an illusion. He moaned happily and drank some more. When he opened his eyes, Arthur was gazing at him intently. “How do you know Victor?”

“We lift weights together sometimes, use the pool early in the morning.”

The studio had a full gym, mostly for the actors to use, but staff could use it as well if no actors wanted it.

“Of course you lift weights with Victor,” Barry said flatly. “Did he send you to try to convince me I should also lift weights?”

“No. Weights aren’t for everyone.” Arthur waved. “See you, Barry.”

Barry watched him go. Yeah, but his ass was super fine. Belatedly, he called out, “See you, Arthur! Thanks for the coffee!”

*

“Just so you know, you’re kind of an idiot,” Diana said.

Barry, who’d been closely supervising the reheating of his leftover japchae, floundered upright. “What? Why? I  _ told _ Lois and Iris to go with the Hershey’s and not the Crunch because the rice would ruin everything, but they had to put marketing ahead of plausible science.”

Diana was refilling her super fancy nigh-indestructible stainless titanium travel coffee mug from the coffee machine. She shook her head, clicking her tongue disapprovingly. “Were you not raised with basic manners, Barry? Arthur brought you coffee the other day. You should do something nice in return.”

“Oh. That. I thought Victor sent the coffee.”

“Victor mentioned that you’d failed to make your usual afternoon caffeine rendezvous -”

“I’m not sure I’d call it a  _ rendezvous.” _

“ - And Arthur was kind enough to bring you science fuel, as you call it.”

“That was kind of him,” Barry said. “Um. What do I bring a guy like Arthur? Someone who’s super healthy. Super healthy people avoid caffeine, right?”

Diana arched an eyebrow and screwed the lid back on her coffee mug.

“Or not.”

“Perhaps,” Diana said, “you should bring him chocolate. I hear people like that.”

And she swept out of the break room.

“But fit people don’t eat chocolate either!” Barry called after her.

Behind him, the microwave beeped, and the scent of burnt noodles filled the air.

Barry swore and yanked the microwave open.

What nice thing could he do for Arthur?

*

Seeing as how Diana was miles more socially savvy than Barry, he decided to split the difference between her suggestion of chocolate and his instinct for a healthy snack, and he found a recipe online for what purported to be chocolate almond butter superfood seed bars. Once he’d acquired all of the ingredients - which involved prowling the aisles more trendy health stores than he cared to admit - the recipe was easy, took all of fifteen minutes as advertised, and then he had an entire pan of chocolate seed bars in his fridge.

But he couldn’t just give Arthur one of his pans, because what if he needed it for cooking things before Arthur finished eating the chocolate seed bars? So he sliced up the bars into neat, even pieces and went to put them in a tupperware, but that was boring, so he ended up getting online and looking at ornate origami gift boxes.

And then he found himself standing at the edge of the pool at the studio a good hour before he officially had to start work the next morning, clutching the box and watching Arthur cut through the water with unbelievable speed, muscles rippling, water sluicing off his skin, and Victor hadn’t been kidding about that ink.

Arthur finished a lap and broke the surface, hauled himself onto the edge of the pool and sat, all in one fluid motion. He tossed his head, getting his long hair out of his face, and then he saw Barry.

“Hey.”

“Hey.” Barry held up the box. “I, uh, I made you some chocolate almond butter superfood seed bars. To say thanks. For you bringing me coffee the other day.”

Arthur broke into a wide grin, rose to his feet and skirted around the edge of the pool to stand before him. “You made me chocolate? That’s pretty awesome.” He started to reach for the box, hesitated. “It’s really pretty. I don’t want to break it.”

Barry hadn’t considered that. “Here.” He headed for one of the little side tables and set the box on it. “Let me show you how to open it without breaking it.”

Once he got the top of the box open, he pushed it toward Arthur, who reached in, picked up a piece of chocolate, popped it into his mouth. He chewed slowly, expression contemplative, but then he grinned again.

“That’s delicious. You made this yourself?”

“Yeah. Found the recipe on the internet.”

“To say thanks for me bringing you coffee?”

Barry nodded.

“Well, if this is the thanks I get, I’ll have to keep bringing you coffee,” Arthur said.

Barry reminded himself that he had game. “Or we could go get coffee together. Get to know each other better.”

Arthur popped another piece of chocolate in his mouth, chewed slowly, his gaze fixed on Barry.

Barry swallowed hard and forced himself to stand tall.

“Are you asking me out on a date?” Arthur asked.

“Yes,” Barry said, because the worst that could happen was Arthur saying no (okay, no that wasn’t the worst that could happen, fists could fly, but Barry was a faster runner than anyone ever gave him credit for, and no one caught him unless he wanted them to).

“I accept,” Arthur said, smiling again.

“Thank you. Um. Tonight? After work?”

“Sure,” Arthur said. “I’ll meet you at your office.”

Barry grinned, bouncing on his toes. “Awesome.” He stepped closer, leaned up on his toes. “May I?”

Arthur looked down at him, nodded.

Barry leaned up, kissed him briefly on the mouth, and then hurried away.

He had to get back to his office and do an awkward victory dance before anyone could see.

*

“Just so you know,” Victor said, “every even remotely straight chick at this studio, plus pretty much all of the queer guys, hates you right now.”

Barry frowned. “Why? What did I ever do to them?” He was starting another coffee pot.

“Because now Arthur’s off the market.”

“Oh. Well. If they wanted to go out with him, they should have asked.”

Victor balled up a napkin and threw it at Barry, managed to catch him right beneath the jaw where he was sporting a pretty impressive kiss bruise.

“Seems like you’re doing a lot more staying in with him.”

“Don’t know what you’re talking about,” Barry said with false innocence. “As you can see, I am still standing. Also, Arthur is very intelligent, cultured, and interesting to talk to, and also soothing to spend time with.” 

“If you say so.”

“I do,” Barry said firmly. “Tonight, we’re going to the aquarium. Arthur majored in Marine Biology in college. It’s going to be very educational.” He refilled his mug and returned to his office. 

“If that’s what the kids are calling it these days,” Victor called after him.

“What are the kids calling what these days?” Arthur asked.

He was sitting in Barry’s other chair, opening his lunch box.

“Ignore Victor. So, Marine Biology and Oceanography. How did you end up doing stunts?” Barry sat opposite him.

Arthur shrugged. “Had a friend who was a film major. Wanted help on a project. I volunteered - grew up doing martial arts. I finished school, but all my work experience was in stunts, so I stuck with it.”

“That’s cool.”

“What about you? What made you want to become a scientist?”

“My dad was accused of murdering my mom when I was a kid. Sent to prison. I know he didn’t do it. Always swore I’d prove it. Wanted to be one of those CSI guys so I could find the evidence to free my dad, so - science.”

Arthur’s expression sobered. “Damn, that’s rough.”

Barry shrugged. “I know he didn’t do it, and he knows I know, but - this is my life. I moved on. I’m not obsessed. I still visit him every week, but - this is me. I have friends and enough money for a place to live and food to eat.” He eyed Arthur, then said, “You should come with me sometime. Meet him.”

“Really?”

“Yeah.”

“I’d like that.”

Barry cleared his throat. “Now, just so you know, apparently half the studio is mad that you’re off the market.”

“So?”

“So I think we should take one of those ridiculously mushy couple selfies and post it on Instagram to rub it in.” Barry went to fish his phone out of his pocket.

Arthur caught his wrist, curved his hand high on Barry’s inner thigh meaningfully. “I’d rather rub something else.”

Barry leaned in, kissed him, managed to get his phone free and snap a picture of the moment their lips met. “Not at work.”

Arthur sighed. “Being grown-up and professional sucks sometimes.”

Barry leaned in and kissed him again, deeper and with more intent. “But sometimes sucking is the best part of being grown-up.” He sat back. “Now, finish your lunch and tell me all about your favorite marine creature.”

Arthur laughed. “All right. Now, this is going to sound crazy, but I really like seahorses…”


End file.
